Ray Conniff – Christmas Bride

If there is one thing I like it’s a song that can make me weep. It happens quite regularly if I’m honest – generally when I’m alone and out of sight of humanity. The funny thing is that, despite my love for all things Christmas not that many tunes from the season (‘Just Like Christmas’, ‘The Grey Line’ excepted) are able to summon precipitation from the eye region. That was until I happened upon Ray Conniff’s faultless self-titled Christmas album from way back in 1959. Now here was a manmade rain maker, a loving mix of male vocals with an equally sepia-tinged backing female accompaniment. ‘Christmas With Conniff’ is sprinkled with a dozen rosey cheeked highlights but the clincher is ‘Christmas Bride’ with its simple but touching lyrics and genuine heart on the sleeve dynamics. Sure don’t make them like they used to. KD